The 10 Hottest Edge Computing Startups Of 2021 (So Far)
From SASE and AI to semiconductors and edge data centers, here are ten of the hottest edge computing startups in 2021 that you should know about.
10 Hot Edge Startups You Need To Know
IDC is projecting that worldwide spending on edge computing hardware, software and services will reach a whopping $250 billion in 2024 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12.5 percent over the next few years.
Many believe that edge computing is the next wave of digital transformation with its ability to place applications, infrastructure and innovation -- such as artificial intelligence and machine learning – closer to where data is generated and consumed.
Additionally, with the number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices surging creating new security risks, edge computing adoption is picking up pace. For example, IT research firm Gartner expects over 15 billion IoT-enabled devices will connect to enterprise infrastructure by 2029.
As edge computing begins to carve out a new market and revenue opportunities, several innovative startups have launched around everything from the Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) to edge software management targeting 5G deployments. CRN breaks down ten of the most interesting and innovative edge computing startups in the IT industry today.
For more of the biggest startups, products and news stories of 2021 so far, click here.
Aarna Networks
Top Executive: Amar Kapadia, CEO and Co-Founder
Headquarters: San Jose, Calif.
Aarna Networks specializes in 5G and edge computing software management with a focus on distributed computing and helping businesses create private networks to connect all users, regardless of location. The networking startup’s Multi Cluster Orchestration Platform (AMCOP) provides multi-cluster orchestration, lifecycle management, and real-time policy driven control loop automation networking services and edge computing applications, including enterprise network-as-a-service solutions.
Aarna Networks’ primary go-to-market is through channel partners. The startup’s CEO and co-founder Amar Kapadia previously held top product management positions for the likes of Mirantis and EVault.
Ananda Networks
Top Executive: Adi Ruppin, CEO and Founder
Headquarters: San Francisco
Ananda Networks is brand new to the edge networking market founded by security all-star Adi Ruppin, who was the former CEO of Exosphere as well as founder and CEO of SofaWave Technologies. The startup is striving to rebuild the network from the ground up to solve distributed workforce and edge computing needs. The Ananda Secure Global LAN (SG-LAN) service allows customers to create their own private networks, connecting users, devices, and cloud services with security and simplicity.
Ananda’s distributed, multi-cloud network fabric provides fast network performance, low latency and zero-trust security at the edge, delivered via software. The startup emerged from stealth in 2020 already armed with a channel partner program.
Cato Networks
Top Executive: Shlomo Kramer, CEO and Co-Founder
Headquarters: Alpharetta, Ga.
Fast-growing startup Cato Networks combines SD-WAN, networking security and its Zero Trust Network Access technology into a cloud-native SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) platform. The SASE platform provider saw bookings in 2020 grow by more than 200 percent for the fourth consecutive year.
Using Cato Networks, customers can migrate from MPLS to SD-WAN, optimize connectivity to on-premises and cloud applications, enable secure branch Internet access everywhere, and integrate cloud data centers and mobile users into the network with its zero-trust architecture. Last year, Cato Networks raised $130 million to accelerate its SASE market reach and innovation strategy.
EdgeQ
Top Executive: Vinay Ravuri, CEO and Founder
Headquarters: Santa Clara, Calif.
Emerging from stealth mode in November, EdgeQ dubs itself as delivering the world’s first 5G Base Station-on-a-chip with the goal of bringing AI to the edge of the network with 5G. EdgeQ offers its AI-5G SoC for building 5G private wireless networks for IoT and industrial use cases, while the semiconductor startup’s RISC-V-based chip can perform AI functions for edge computing applications and improve network capabilities.
The startup is led by former Broadcom, Intel and Qualcomm executives including its CEO Vinay Ravuri who left Qualcomm as vice president of product management in 2018 to create EdgeQ. The startup recently added Qualcomm’s former CEO Paul Jacobs and former Qualcomm CTO Matt Grob as advisers.
EdgePresence
Top Executive: Doug Recker, President and Founder
Headquarters: Jacksonville, Fla.
EdgePresence is deploying edge data centers throughout the U.S. with turkey, purpose-build edge centers designed to include power, distribution, physical security, cooling and interconnection. EdgePresence’s solution can deploy a state-of-the-art network of edge data centers without the added capital expense and operating complexity associated with critical infrastructure buildouts, making it possible to quickly densify and expand networks, allowing applications to be deployed within at least 12 miles of an end user.
The data center edge startup is looking to deploy and operate hundreds of micro edge data centers across the country. EdgePresence is led by industry veteran Doug Recker, the former founder of Colo5 Data Centers which was acquired by Cologix.
Edgeworx
Top Executive: Kilton Hopkins, CEO and Co-Founder
Headquarters: San Jose, Calif.
Edgeworx’s ioFog is an edge platform that provides a standardized way to develop and remotely deploy secure microservices to edge computing devices. The edge computing startup abstracts the underlying hardware to provide a common compute platform that enables the same software to run on any device by allowing developers to package and deploy their applications to each device using containerization technologies.
The edge startup also provides Darcy AI which combines sensors, compute and storage into a “mini” supercomputer that can be deployed at the edge. Edgeworx recently formed a partnership with Google’s Coral around edge artificial intelligence.
Infiot
Top Executive: Parag Thakore, CEO and co-founder
Headquarters: Menlo Park, Calif
Infiot is an AI-powered edge networking startup that recently emerged from stealth after being founded by SD-WAN veterans hailing from VeloCloud Networks, which was acquired by VMware. The startup’s Infiot Intelligent Access delivers secure optimized connectivity for remote workers, micro branches, and IoT devices. Infiot’s wireless edges converge SD-WAN, zero trust network access, edge computing, and integrated cellular connectivity, built on a software-defined architecture.
The startup’s AI Ops and predictive analytics deliver consistent policies and performance to every user, branch and device resulting in an intelligent edge that is easy to manage. In October, the channel-friendly startup generated $15 million in a Series A funding round.
Nebulon
Top Executive: Siamak Nazari, CEO and Co-Founder
Headquarters: Fremont, Calif.
Nebulon’s smartInfrastructure is server-embedded, infrastructure software delivered as-a-service that provides self-service provisioning, management and local data services at the edge. The nebulon smart Edge solution addresses the density, cost and remote management challenges with traditional solutions to provide a highly distributed infrastructure at the enterprise edge. The startup’s smartInfrastructure is comprised of an AI-assisted cloud control plane which powers an IoT endpoint services processing unit (SPU). The SPUs are embedded into a customer’s application server and form a data plane.
Nebulon was founded in 2018 by a group of former 3PAR and HPE executives including its CTO Sean Etaati, CEO Siamak Nazari and executive chairman David Scott.
Wasabi Technologies
Top Executive: David Friend, CEO and Co-Founder
Headquarters: Boston
Cloud and edge data storage startup Wasabi Technologies allows customers to store infinite amounts of data with no data egress charges. The startup is targeting IoT devices and edge computing for storing massive datasets with ability to leverage Wasabi as a central data repository for machine learning, at-rest analytics and data visualization applications. Through partnerships with fellow data center provides like Equinix and Flexential, Wasabi can provide on-demand edge computing as-a-service.
This year, Wasabi raised $137 million in capital funding to drive the roll-out of new data centers and grow the company’s distribution channels and partner network. Wasabi was founded in 2015 by former Carbonite CEO David Friend.
Zededa
Top Executive: Said Ouissal, Founder, CEO
Headquarters: San Jose, Calif.
Zededa provides a purpose-built orchestration solution for distributed edge computing while also enabling businesses to scale Kubernetes at the edge. The startup lets customers seamlessly orchestrate intelligent applications at the distributed edge to gain access to critical insights, make real-time decisions and maximize operational efficiency.
Zededa supports any combination of Docker containers, Kubernetes clusters and VMs deployed on any edge computing node while connecting to any cloud, along with an application marketplace for single-click deployment and a distributed firewall. Zededa has formed several big partnerships this year with the likes of Microsoft Azure and Agora, as well as also opening its new European headquarters in Berlin.